1.21:Tivra samveganam asanah, To the keen and intent practitioner this samadhi comes very quickly.
This sutra addresses the samvega (intensity) of the practitioner. I have a soft spot for teaching with stories. From Carrera's commentary on this sutra,
[A sincere student once approached his guru with a question: "Master I have been meditating and practicing all sorts of disciplines for many years. Still, I have not seen God. What is necessary for me to do? What am I missing?" Instead of speaking the master escorted his young student to the banks of a nearby river. He asked him to bend over. Suddenly he grasped the young man by the back of the neck and thrust his head underwater. Soon the man was squirming, struggling to break free. A few long moments passed before he was released. Grasping for air he asked, "Master, why did you do this to me?" "When your head was underwater, what were you thinking?" "I was only thinking of breathing, nothing else." "You didn't think of your wife, job or your finances?" "No, only getting air to breath." "When you think of God with the same one-pointed fervor, know that the experience of Him is very close at hand."]
The point being more intensity equals faster progress.
1.22 Mridu madhya adhimatratvat tattopi viseshah, The time necessary for success also depends on whether the practice is mild, moderate or intense.
This sutra talks about the method of the practitioner, referring to quantity of practice. Patanjali doesn't mention time spent but the lifestyle of a householder makes it more difficult than for a monk to have an intense practice. Nevertheless if you take a look at your life and those around you, most of us have no trouble making time for what is really important to us. Revisiting sutra 1.14, Patanjali stated that regularity and enthusiasm over a long period of time are what constitutes a firmly grounded practice. So I recommend doing smaller amounts regularly. Make sure this is doable and if at that point you feel like stepping up the practice, do so in small increments.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Yoga Sutras 1.19 and 1.20
1.19: Bhava pratyayah videha prakriti layanam, Yogis who have not attained asamprajnata samadhi remain attached to Prakriti(nature or the manifest world-opposite of purusha or pure consciousness) at the time of death due to continued existence of thoughts of becoming.
This is a bit strange. I continue to use Satchitananda's translation. Carrera's commentary which is also based on Satchitananda's translation reads "for those that haven't reached asamprajnata samadhi rebirth is necessary." I agree with his statement but don't believe Patanjali meant to say this exactly. I.K. Taimni's famous commentary from 1961 also disagrees with the above interpretation. Mr. Taimni believes that Patanjali is referring to people born with psychic faculties due to spiritual work done in a previous lifetime but without doing any of the noble yogic type practices in this lifetime. I prefer Hari Das' commentary "videhas (celestial beings) and prakritilayas (those merged with prakriti) have achieved samprajnata samadhi but not yet asamprajnata samadhi therefore they come into this birth already established in cognitive samadhi. For them achievement of asamprajnata samadhi is easier than for "the others" (see next sutra). I am not a Sanskrit scholar nor a YS expert but this sutra seems to have stumped the experts as well. The more significant sutra is next.
1.20 Sraddha virya smriti samadhi prajna purvaka itaresham, To the others, asamprajnata samadhi is preceded by faith, strength, mindfullness, samadhi (cognitive) and discriminative insight.
Carrera says "the others" are those not stalled by samskaras of becoming and Hari Das says "the others" are those not born already with higher consciousness. Either way this is a beautiful sutra. The qualities necessary to proceed to asamprajnata (non cognitive) samadhi are sraddha, virya, smriti, samadhi and prajna. Sraddha (faith) is some trust based on past experience and a gut feeling that what you're doing is correct. Without this sense of rightness it would be impossible to have the virya (strength, zeal, or heroism) to embark on this path that goes against the trends of the vast majority. Tim Miller, one of our favorite ashtanga teachers says, "this is the path of heroes, the ashtangi is doing a heroic practice daily." Smriti (memory or mindfulness) is the positive aspect of memory. By learning from past lessons and staying alert the yogi doesn't repeat her mistakes too often. Repeated samprajnata samadhi is necessary to purify the mind so that it can leave the sense of I-am-ness behind to move into asamprajnata samadhi. Prajna (wisdom, knowledge) of the highest type is discrimination between buddhi(intellect) and purusha (pure consciousness) and is experienced in samprajnata samadhi.
The noble qualities listed in this sutra are beneficial univerally, no matter the path nor the stage of development. Practice and all is coming.
This is a bit strange. I continue to use Satchitananda's translation. Carrera's commentary which is also based on Satchitananda's translation reads "for those that haven't reached asamprajnata samadhi rebirth is necessary." I agree with his statement but don't believe Patanjali meant to say this exactly. I.K. Taimni's famous commentary from 1961 also disagrees with the above interpretation. Mr. Taimni believes that Patanjali is referring to people born with psychic faculties due to spiritual work done in a previous lifetime but without doing any of the noble yogic type practices in this lifetime. I prefer Hari Das' commentary "videhas (celestial beings) and prakritilayas (those merged with prakriti) have achieved samprajnata samadhi but not yet asamprajnata samadhi therefore they come into this birth already established in cognitive samadhi. For them achievement of asamprajnata samadhi is easier than for "the others" (see next sutra). I am not a Sanskrit scholar nor a YS expert but this sutra seems to have stumped the experts as well. The more significant sutra is next.
1.20 Sraddha virya smriti samadhi prajna purvaka itaresham, To the others, asamprajnata samadhi is preceded by faith, strength, mindfullness, samadhi (cognitive) and discriminative insight.
Carrera says "the others" are those not stalled by samskaras of becoming and Hari Das says "the others" are those not born already with higher consciousness. Either way this is a beautiful sutra. The qualities necessary to proceed to asamprajnata (non cognitive) samadhi are sraddha, virya, smriti, samadhi and prajna. Sraddha (faith) is some trust based on past experience and a gut feeling that what you're doing is correct. Without this sense of rightness it would be impossible to have the virya (strength, zeal, or heroism) to embark on this path that goes against the trends of the vast majority. Tim Miller, one of our favorite ashtanga teachers says, "this is the path of heroes, the ashtangi is doing a heroic practice daily." Smriti (memory or mindfulness) is the positive aspect of memory. By learning from past lessons and staying alert the yogi doesn't repeat her mistakes too often. Repeated samprajnata samadhi is necessary to purify the mind so that it can leave the sense of I-am-ness behind to move into asamprajnata samadhi. Prajna (wisdom, knowledge) of the highest type is discrimination between buddhi(intellect) and purusha (pure consciousness) and is experienced in samprajnata samadhi.
The noble qualities listed in this sutra are beneficial univerally, no matter the path nor the stage of development. Practice and all is coming.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Yoga Sutras on Asamprajnata Samadhi
Yoga Sutra 1.18: Virama pratyaya abhyasa purvah samskara sheshah anyah, Noncognitive (asamprajnata) samadhi occurs with the cessation of all conscious thought; only the subconscious impressions remain.
In the previous sutra we discussed four types of cognitive samadhi. In this sutra Patanjali moves to the next type of Samadhi-beyond cognitive samadhi but not the highest type. Asamprajnata (A=without sam=union prajna=knowledge) samadhi is deep meditative absorption without any intuitive knowledge, even the sense of I-am-ness is transcended. Some teachers call this the void. Since this isn't the final type of samadhi there are still samskaras (subconscious impressions) remaining. As long as there are samskaras remaining there is work to be done. The concept of samskaras is an interesting one. With every action or thought there is potential to create new samskaras. They are etched like grooves in a record on top of the soul. They are referred to as seeds with the ability to sprout new vrittis or thought patterns when triggered by specific experiences. With repeated and prolonged asamprajnata samadhi these samskaras can be burnt up and rendered unsproutable (just as a toasted seed is unable to germinate). Some samskaras are much easier to neutralize than others. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi describes them, "some samskaras are as if etched in sand, just a swift stroke of practice and they are smoothed out, others are as if etched in wood, with a few more strokes they are smoothed out and others are as if etched in stone, they may take lifetimes to remove." This might help to explain why some lessons keep repeating over and over. The work is toward seedless samadhi (nirbija-1.51) at which time Kaivalya or supreme independence is achieved.
Most commentaries of the YS describe asamprajnata samadhi as a stage where liberation is immanent. Hopefully by reading and discussing the Y.S. you are getting inspiration to deepen your yoga practice. The Y.S. are written for the adept but can reach students of all levels of expertise. Keep practicing for all is coming!
In the previous sutra we discussed four types of cognitive samadhi. In this sutra Patanjali moves to the next type of Samadhi-beyond cognitive samadhi but not the highest type. Asamprajnata (A=without sam=union prajna=knowledge) samadhi is deep meditative absorption without any intuitive knowledge, even the sense of I-am-ness is transcended. Some teachers call this the void. Since this isn't the final type of samadhi there are still samskaras (subconscious impressions) remaining. As long as there are samskaras remaining there is work to be done. The concept of samskaras is an interesting one. With every action or thought there is potential to create new samskaras. They are etched like grooves in a record on top of the soul. They are referred to as seeds with the ability to sprout new vrittis or thought patterns when triggered by specific experiences. With repeated and prolonged asamprajnata samadhi these samskaras can be burnt up and rendered unsproutable (just as a toasted seed is unable to germinate). Some samskaras are much easier to neutralize than others. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi describes them, "some samskaras are as if etched in sand, just a swift stroke of practice and they are smoothed out, others are as if etched in wood, with a few more strokes they are smoothed out and others are as if etched in stone, they may take lifetimes to remove." This might help to explain why some lessons keep repeating over and over. The work is toward seedless samadhi (nirbija-1.51) at which time Kaivalya or supreme independence is achieved.
Most commentaries of the YS describe asamprajnata samadhi as a stage where liberation is immanent. Hopefully by reading and discussing the Y.S. you are getting inspiration to deepen your yoga practice. The Y.S. are written for the adept but can reach students of all levels of expertise. Keep practicing for all is coming!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Yoga Sutras on Samadhi
If you are reading this blog and haven't read the yoga sutra blogs up to this point I recommend that you start at the beginning and proceed in order as the sutras are sequential. The name of Chapter 1 (of four) of the YS is Samadhi Pada-the chapter on Samadhi. The next sutra describes four levels of samadhi (meditative absorption).
This can be abstract and dry but I'll try to keep it simple.
1.17: Vitarka vichara ananda asmita anugamat samprajnata, Cognitive (samprajnata) samadhi is attended by examination, insight, bliss, and pure I-am-ness.
These four types of samadhi have to do with the yogic idea that the body/mind continuum is made of the same stuff-just in onion-like levels of subtlety. In yoga there are five sheaths (koshas) or onion skins in degrees of subtlety. They are from gross to subtle: annamaya kosha (food sheath), pranamaya kosha (vital air sheath), manomaya kosha (lower mental sheath), vijnanamaya kosha (intellectual sheath) and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath).
Samprajnata samadhis are accompanied by knowledge (sam=union and prajna=knowledge,wisdom). This is a different type of knowledge. It is a non linear, direct form of knowledge that is acquired by some degree of unity with the object contemplated. All of us have intuitive knowledge-the yogis made a science of this type of investigation.
The first type of samadhi is Vitarka, with examination. Awareness transcends the first two sheaths and goes to the manomaya kosha, the lower mental sheath. This pertains to the knowledge from the senses and emotions.
The second type of smaprajnata samadhi is vichara, with insight, and is from the conscious experience of the vijnanamaya kosha or intellectual sheath. The knowledge experienced here is of a subtler type than with vitarka. With each subsequent samadhi the meditator moves inwardly towards the center of the onion which is the soul, or pure awareness.
The third type is ananda, bliss, and signals the arrival of the awareness to the anandamaya kosha or bliss sheath. The knowledge continues to refine and is accompanied by waves of bliss.
The last samprajnata samadhi is called asmita, pure I-am-ness, and is when the five sheaths are transcended completely and the yogi's awareness is at the level of the atman, soul or purusha-pure consciousness. A yogi is said to experience the finest level of knowledge of the object here, by direct experience.
This is advanced theory and serves to clarify a meditator's experience and to inspire the novice. My meditation teacher Maharishi Mahesh Yogi would say "when you eat a mango you can experience the pleasure of the sweetness of the fruit with the sense of taste and with intellectual knowledge of the mango you have another dimension with which to enjoy it." Likewise with the intellectual study of yoga one can deepen one's enjoyment of the practice.
This can be abstract and dry but I'll try to keep it simple.
1.17: Vitarka vichara ananda asmita anugamat samprajnata, Cognitive (samprajnata) samadhi is attended by examination, insight, bliss, and pure I-am-ness.
These four types of samadhi have to do with the yogic idea that the body/mind continuum is made of the same stuff-just in onion-like levels of subtlety. In yoga there are five sheaths (koshas) or onion skins in degrees of subtlety. They are from gross to subtle: annamaya kosha (food sheath), pranamaya kosha (vital air sheath), manomaya kosha (lower mental sheath), vijnanamaya kosha (intellectual sheath) and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath).
Samprajnata samadhis are accompanied by knowledge (sam=union and prajna=knowledge,wisdom). This is a different type of knowledge. It is a non linear, direct form of knowledge that is acquired by some degree of unity with the object contemplated. All of us have intuitive knowledge-the yogis made a science of this type of investigation.
The first type of samadhi is Vitarka, with examination. Awareness transcends the first two sheaths and goes to the manomaya kosha, the lower mental sheath. This pertains to the knowledge from the senses and emotions.
The second type of smaprajnata samadhi is vichara, with insight, and is from the conscious experience of the vijnanamaya kosha or intellectual sheath. The knowledge experienced here is of a subtler type than with vitarka. With each subsequent samadhi the meditator moves inwardly towards the center of the onion which is the soul, or pure awareness.
The third type is ananda, bliss, and signals the arrival of the awareness to the anandamaya kosha or bliss sheath. The knowledge continues to refine and is accompanied by waves of bliss.
The last samprajnata samadhi is called asmita, pure I-am-ness, and is when the five sheaths are transcended completely and the yogi's awareness is at the level of the atman, soul or purusha-pure consciousness. A yogi is said to experience the finest level of knowledge of the object here, by direct experience.
This is advanced theory and serves to clarify a meditator's experience and to inspire the novice. My meditation teacher Maharishi Mahesh Yogi would say "when you eat a mango you can experience the pleasure of the sweetness of the fruit with the sense of taste and with intellectual knowledge of the mango you have another dimension with which to enjoy it." Likewise with the intellectual study of yoga one can deepen one's enjoyment of the practice.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Yoga Sutras on Nonattachment
Yoga Sutras (YS) 1.15: Drishta anusravika vishaya vitrishnasya vasikara samjna vairagyam, Nonattachment is the manifestation of self-mastery in one who is free from craving for objects seen or heard about.
A symptom of "self-mastery", or one who has quieted the fluctuations of the mind (see 1.2) is vairagya or nonattachment. Vairagya literally means "without color". It is a state of not clinging. Reverend Carrera in his commentary says "it is the ability to keep the distortions of selfish motives and intents out of every relationship, action, and process of learning." When one is fulfilled from within there is no getting seduced by the temporal pleasures of the senses. It is similar to when your two year old child clings to his toy and doesn't want to share it until his five year old brother walks in with a more sophisticated five year old toy. Immediately the two year old discards his toy and starts crying for the more sophisticated toy. When one is totally fulfilled from direct experience of the Self there is no attraction to the lesser pleasure of "objects seen or heard about." In this sutra Patanjali refers to spiritual experiences, heaven, or supernatural abilities (siddhis) as objects heard about. Even spiritual experiences can be objects of attachment.
Sutra 1.16: Tat param purusha khyater Guna Vaitrishnyam, When there is non-thirst for even the gunas due to realization of the purusha that is supreme nonattachment.
This is a continuation of the previous sutra. "Even the gunas"(qualities of nature) is just another way of saying anything in nature. Carrera says in his commentary on this sutra "Supreme nonattachment is based on having an inner experience so sweet, satisfying, and compelling that there is nothing on the outside that can compete with it."
The Yogi is completely free from cravings for anything in creation.
This is not to say that one doesn't enjoy the things in life. One is less encumbered in the present moment by all the self-serving cravings and more able to enjoy the sunset, good food, or companionship of a loved-one; or able to feel the sorrow of loss or frustration of a friend without being totally overwhelmed by the experience.
Now for those of us not manifesting self-mastery or supreme nonattachment, we keep practicing and work toward healthy relationships with the gunas.
A symptom of "self-mastery", or one who has quieted the fluctuations of the mind (see 1.2) is vairagya or nonattachment. Vairagya literally means "without color". It is a state of not clinging. Reverend Carrera in his commentary says "it is the ability to keep the distortions of selfish motives and intents out of every relationship, action, and process of learning." When one is fulfilled from within there is no getting seduced by the temporal pleasures of the senses. It is similar to when your two year old child clings to his toy and doesn't want to share it until his five year old brother walks in with a more sophisticated five year old toy. Immediately the two year old discards his toy and starts crying for the more sophisticated toy. When one is totally fulfilled from direct experience of the Self there is no attraction to the lesser pleasure of "objects seen or heard about." In this sutra Patanjali refers to spiritual experiences, heaven, or supernatural abilities (siddhis) as objects heard about. Even spiritual experiences can be objects of attachment.
Sutra 1.16: Tat param purusha khyater Guna Vaitrishnyam, When there is non-thirst for even the gunas due to realization of the purusha that is supreme nonattachment.
This is a continuation of the previous sutra. "Even the gunas"(qualities of nature) is just another way of saying anything in nature. Carrera says in his commentary on this sutra "Supreme nonattachment is based on having an inner experience so sweet, satisfying, and compelling that there is nothing on the outside that can compete with it."
The Yogi is completely free from cravings for anything in creation.
This is not to say that one doesn't enjoy the things in life. One is less encumbered in the present moment by all the self-serving cravings and more able to enjoy the sunset, good food, or companionship of a loved-one; or able to feel the sorrow of loss or frustration of a friend without being totally overwhelmed by the experience.
Now for those of us not manifesting self-mastery or supreme nonattachment, we keep practicing and work toward healthy relationships with the gunas.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Yoga Sutras on Practice
I originally was going to skip around with random thoughts on inspirational things but I have launched on a commentary of the Yoga Sutras and it seems to have taken a life of its own. So continuing from the last blog...
Yoga Sutra 1.13: Tatra Sthitau yatnah abhyasah, Of these two(practice and nonattachment) effort toward steadiness is practice.
1.14:Sah tu dirgha kala nairantarya satkara asevitah dridhabhumih, Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and with enthusiasm. Pantanjali describes how to be successful in anything. I can't think of any skill that I value that has been achieved in any other way. Practicing over a long period of time, without quitting for a while, with enthusiasm! In Reverend Jaganath Carrera's book, Inside the Yoga Sutras, he says in his commentary on this sutra "How can we tell if our practice has become firmly grounded? One simple answer is: when it is harder not to practice than to practice." I like this a lot. Think of brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Not necessarily fun activities but still they are ingrained practices that you don't skip. It is harder to skip something that is firmly grounded than to do them. This is Patanjali's message on practice-be steady with your practice over a long period of time, without taking time off, and practice with gusto!
Yoga Sutra 1.13: Tatra Sthitau yatnah abhyasah, Of these two(practice and nonattachment) effort toward steadiness is practice.
1.14:Sah tu dirgha kala nairantarya satkara asevitah dridhabhumih, Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and with enthusiasm. Pantanjali describes how to be successful in anything. I can't think of any skill that I value that has been achieved in any other way. Practicing over a long period of time, without quitting for a while, with enthusiasm! In Reverend Jaganath Carrera's book, Inside the Yoga Sutras, he says in his commentary on this sutra "How can we tell if our practice has become firmly grounded? One simple answer is: when it is harder not to practice than to practice." I like this a lot. Think of brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Not necessarily fun activities but still they are ingrained practices that you don't skip. It is harder to skip something that is firmly grounded than to do them. This is Patanjali's message on practice-be steady with your practice over a long period of time, without taking time off, and practice with gusto!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Yoga Sutras, Continued
In the previous blog I went over the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th sutras(1.1-1.4) of the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras of Pantajali (YS). Incidentally the title of the first chapter of the YS is Samadhi Pada (the chapter on Samadhi or meditative absorption). Reviewing: if the mind is quiet we experience yoga (union), then the Seer (Self) abides in its own nature. If not it identifies with the thoughts of the mind. By the way in vedanta philosophy (one of the six branches of Indian philosophy-yoga, sankya, nyaya, vaisheshika,purva mimansa, and vedanta) the Self is described as being Sat (truth, intelligent) Chit (conscious) and Ananda (blissful) by nature. So if the Self abides in its own nature it is smart, aware of itself and blissful.
In the following seven sutras(1.5-1.11) Pantajali describes the fluctuations of the mind categorically and qualitatively (according to types of thoughts and according to whether they are either painful or painless). Note that Patanjali says thoughts are
either painful or painless. He doesn't say pleasurable-they either produce pain or not. This is because vrittis (mental modifications, fluctuations, thoughts) either obscure the happiness that is our true nature or they don't. The types of thoughts that don't cause pain are ones that move us toward knowledge of the Self, characterized by clarity, discernment and egolessness. Those that are leading toward ignorance are those that are considered painful. The five types of vrittis are right knowledge, misperception, conceptualization, sleep and memory.
1.12: Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tat nirodhah, These mental fluctuations are restrained by practice and nonattachment. These are the two methods for quieting the mind. Practice is anything involving the effort toward quieting the mind. Yoga takes a wholistic approach: following social conduct, personal conduct, asanas, breathing exercises, sense withdrawal, concentration, meditation and absorption(the eight limbs of yoga). Vairagya(nonattachment) is a misunderstood concept in the west. It is sometimes misconceived as not caring. The key is to understand that sense objects don't promote peace of mind. It is fine to have "things" but things don't give fulfillment. So vairagya is learning to have healthy relationships with objects. For example an alcoholic has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, an over eater has an unhealthy relationship with food etc.
Stay tuned for more on Pantanjali's YS.
In the following seven sutras(1.5-1.11) Pantajali describes the fluctuations of the mind categorically and qualitatively (according to types of thoughts and according to whether they are either painful or painless). Note that Patanjali says thoughts are
either painful or painless. He doesn't say pleasurable-they either produce pain or not. This is because vrittis (mental modifications, fluctuations, thoughts) either obscure the happiness that is our true nature or they don't. The types of thoughts that don't cause pain are ones that move us toward knowledge of the Self, characterized by clarity, discernment and egolessness. Those that are leading toward ignorance are those that are considered painful. The five types of vrittis are right knowledge, misperception, conceptualization, sleep and memory.
1.12: Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tat nirodhah, These mental fluctuations are restrained by practice and nonattachment. These are the two methods for quieting the mind. Practice is anything involving the effort toward quieting the mind. Yoga takes a wholistic approach: following social conduct, personal conduct, asanas, breathing exercises, sense withdrawal, concentration, meditation and absorption(the eight limbs of yoga). Vairagya(nonattachment) is a misunderstood concept in the west. It is sometimes misconceived as not caring. The key is to understand that sense objects don't promote peace of mind. It is fine to have "things" but things don't give fulfillment. So vairagya is learning to have healthy relationships with objects. For example an alcoholic has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, an over eater has an unhealthy relationship with food etc.
Stay tuned for more on Pantanjali's YS.
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali-Introduction
The first formal exposition on Yoga was written somewhere between 300 B.C.E. and 300 C.E. and is titled The Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali. This is a short, concise work of 196 sutras or aphorisms in four chapters and to this day is considered the foundation of yoga philosophy. The practice of yoga existed long before this but was first put into writing by Pantajali, an Indian scholar who also wrote some important works on medicine and grammar.
The Yoga Sutras (YS) describe yoga, obstacles, the formal eightfold path and liberation. In the west most people would expect the YS to be about yoga postures but there are only three sutras about postures. As yoga becomes more popular and more practitioners get involved it is inevitable that the American Yogi delves more deeply into the philosophy of yoga.
The first sutra, chapter 1, sutra 1(1.1), Atha yoga anusasanam, Now the exposition of Yoga. Patanjali doesn't say my invention, he's simply stating that he's is writing down a system that is already in tact.
The second sutra(1.2)jumps right into the meat and potatoes of yoga with one of the most often quoted sutras: Yogas chitta vritti nirodah, which means: Yoga is the restraint of the fluctuations of the mind. This is a definition as well as the technique. The next sutra (1.3) is: Tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam, Then the Seer abides in its own nature. The fourth (1.4) is: Vritti sarupyam itaratra, At other times the Seer assumes the forms of the fluctuations of the mind. To summarize yoga is achieved by quieting the mind. When the mind is quiet the true self (seer) which in yoga philosophy is self aware, unchanging and the silent witness to life, rests in its own nature. When it isn't quiet (the mind) the seer gets wrapped up with the drama of the mind and identifies with the ever changing phenomena of the world.
This is a natural process to be able to function as a human being. As children we begin to define ourselves by the externalization of consciousness. However we begin to forget that experience of being more than what our 5 senses connect us to. In meditation we direct the awareness back inward and start exploring what is there when the thoughts quiet down. This is yoga according to Patanjali. Parmahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) used a movie theater for a metaphor of the Seer. As we sit and watch a movie the events in the movie might be joyful, sad, or scary. We might identify with the movie and go through the emotional ups and downs of the protagonist but if we remember that it is just a movie then we are comforted during the scary parts and don't identify with the sorrow. In life if we have a regular meditation practice then this works in the same way as with the movie. We have a direct experience of Self other than the ups and downs of daily experience. We are not cold and removed but just not overwhelmed by the fluctuations of life.
Stay tuned for more on the YS.
The Yoga Sutras (YS) describe yoga, obstacles, the formal eightfold path and liberation. In the west most people would expect the YS to be about yoga postures but there are only three sutras about postures. As yoga becomes more popular and more practitioners get involved it is inevitable that the American Yogi delves more deeply into the philosophy of yoga.
The first sutra, chapter 1, sutra 1(1.1), Atha yoga anusasanam, Now the exposition of Yoga. Patanjali doesn't say my invention, he's simply stating that he's is writing down a system that is already in tact.
The second sutra(1.2)jumps right into the meat and potatoes of yoga with one of the most often quoted sutras: Yogas chitta vritti nirodah, which means: Yoga is the restraint of the fluctuations of the mind. This is a definition as well as the technique. The next sutra (1.3) is: Tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam, Then the Seer abides in its own nature. The fourth (1.4) is: Vritti sarupyam itaratra, At other times the Seer assumes the forms of the fluctuations of the mind. To summarize yoga is achieved by quieting the mind. When the mind is quiet the true self (seer) which in yoga philosophy is self aware, unchanging and the silent witness to life, rests in its own nature. When it isn't quiet (the mind) the seer gets wrapped up with the drama of the mind and identifies with the ever changing phenomena of the world.
This is a natural process to be able to function as a human being. As children we begin to define ourselves by the externalization of consciousness. However we begin to forget that experience of being more than what our 5 senses connect us to. In meditation we direct the awareness back inward and start exploring what is there when the thoughts quiet down. This is yoga according to Patanjali. Parmahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) used a movie theater for a metaphor of the Seer. As we sit and watch a movie the events in the movie might be joyful, sad, or scary. We might identify with the movie and go through the emotional ups and downs of the protagonist but if we remember that it is just a movie then we are comforted during the scary parts and don't identify with the sorrow. In life if we have a regular meditation practice then this works in the same way as with the movie. We have a direct experience of Self other than the ups and downs of daily experience. We are not cold and removed but just not overwhelmed by the fluctuations of life.
Stay tuned for more on the YS.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Chopping Wood , Carrying Water
I was inspired by my wife to have a blog space. In our daily yoga practice we study inspiring books, meditate, and practice postures and breathing exercises. A fruit of this practice is to be discovering new things daily which are shared in yoga classes and through the daily practice of showing up for work, family etc. I wanted to explain the title chosen for my blog space. It comes from a familiar zen story. The master is asked how life changes after enlightenment. He answers: before enlightenment chop wood and carry water, after enlightenment chop wood and carry water. This is so very simple yet profound. A spiritual practice can be very earthy and practical. Friends and family might ask how does doing downward dog help you in your life. Well for me this practice is about being able to be more efficient, healthy and happy while we spend time at work, with family or whatever one's daily life might be.
In yoga class one focuses on the breath, on alignment, balance, not holding tension, etc. while doing movement or holding postures. This translates directly into keeping one's equanimity and focus while a boss or client may be going through a hard time or while kids are freaking out. So this Zen story resonates with me. It inspires me to keep it simple. As Einstein once said, "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius--and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.
In yoga class one focuses on the breath, on alignment, balance, not holding tension, etc. while doing movement or holding postures. This translates directly into keeping one's equanimity and focus while a boss or client may be going through a hard time or while kids are freaking out. So this Zen story resonates with me. It inspires me to keep it simple. As Einstein once said, "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius--and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.
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